House Museum
Look for the following guided tour or open house in the events section.
Location: Location: C. Gonzalo Crance 173, Panama.
A place to relive history
Located in an area that we can call the “old town” of the former base (now called La Herradura), the Interpretive Center occupies a colonial-style house built in 1922, designed by architect Samuel M. Hitt, to serve as a residence for the base's commander-in-chief and his family. Due to its original function, its design is the most traditional in the area, with a symmetrical interior layout and a wide perimeter railing. It functioned as a residence until 2010, when the Fundación Ciudad del Saber decided to recover it to turn it into an Interpretation Center.
Why is the Interpretation Center - House Museum important?
The Interpretation Center is a space dedicated to safeguarding the heritage and architectural history of the former Clayton military base 1919-1999, before it became the Ciudad del Saber project.
An exhibit like no other
Whether you take a guided tour or discover it at your own pace through our audio guide, the Interpretation Center - House Museum will allow you to learn about the historical and architectural legacy of this place, along with the history of the Panama Canal, through a permanent exhibition on the history of the Clayton site and its close relationship with the growth of Panama City throughout the 20th century.
What can I find in the House Museum?
The permanent exhibition is divided into four historical areas as follows:
- Area One: Tells about the old settlement of Rio Grande during the construction of the railroad, the French canal construction project, the construction of the canal by the United States, and the first fortifications for defense sites during World War I, with emphasis on the old Clayton base.
- Area two: Discusses the expansion and growth of the Clayton base during World War II, daily life, the social system within the base, and the change in architectural and urban style, both in the structures and in the internal spaces of the structures.
- Area three: Delves into the last days as a military facility, the ceremony of transfer of the 120 hectares that the Panamanian State makes to the Fundación Ciudad del Saber in 1999, and the master plan for the development and administration of the project.
- Scope zero: All this narrative of the three areas is linked through a fourth transversal, called scope zero, which summarizes the different interventions and relations that the United States has had in Panama, since 1856 with the incident of the watermelon slice until today.
Space facilities
Internet access
bathrooms
Library
Meeting room
Space for events and activations
Frequently asked questions about House Museum
The House Museum is located at E-173 on Gonzalo Crance Street, near the Ciudad del Saber Park. To help you, you can Google Ciudad del Saber Interpretation Center and House Museum and follow the suggested route.
In the House Museum you can find a fascinating story that tells how this site went from being a military base to the Ciudad del Saber project. We begin by telling the story from the construction of the Panama Railroad and the town of Rio Grande, followed by the French canal project, then the American canal, and then the treaty that gave all this space to the Republic of Panama, and finally the story of the Ciudad del Saber project.
The Casa Museo is currently open one Saturday a month from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with some special occasions outside these hours for activities and events. To find out when we will be open next we invite you to visit our Instagram or our upcoming events section.
The entrance and visit to this space is free of charge. We invite you to visit us with your family and friends.
Our campus is a historical tour that complements your visit to the House Museum, which is why you can continue on the Clayton Yesterday and Today tour, a permanent outdoor exhibit made up of 36 interpretive panels located on campus, where you can learn a little more about this space and its transformation in a different way.
Visit the House Museum!
Location: C. Gonzalo Crance 173, Panama.